No fatalities

1955-12-09: De Havilland DH.104 Dove (G-ALTM) — British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC — London-Heathrow, United Kingdom

London-Heathrow, United KingdomLanding (descent or approach)

On December 9, 1955, a De Havilland DH.104 Dove (registration G-ALTM) operated by British Overseas Airways Corporation - BOAC was involved in an aviation accident near London-Heathrow, United Kingdom during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the right engine on final approach and wrong engine shut down by the pilot. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781250603Data APIEditorial standards

On final approach, the right engine failed. The pilot mistakenly shut down the left engine, causing a stall and crash short of the runway. All three occupants evacuated; aircraft destroyed.

Incident Overview

The aircraft, operated by a crew of one pilot and two filmmakers, was returning to Heathrow Airport after an uneventful mission to film the airport. During the final approach phase, the right engine experienced technical problems and failed. In the ensuing confusion, the pilot inadvertently shut down the left engine, which was still functioning properly. This action caused a loss of thrust, leading to an aerodynamic stall. The aircraft subsequently impacted the ground short of the runway.

Occupants and Damage

All three occupants—the pilot and two filmmakers—successfully evacuated the aircraft following the crash. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and was written off.

Probable Cause

The official investigation determined the probable cause to be the failure of the right engine on final approach and the pilot's erroneous shutdown of the left engine.